Nanostructured W-Cu Electrical Contact Materials Processed by Hot Isostatic Pressing

Nanostructured W-Cu-Ni electrical contact materials to be used in low voltage vacuum switching contactors for nominal currents up to 630 A were developed successfully by hot isostatic pressing. W-Cu-Ni composite powder mixtures with copper content of 20 to 40 wt% and 1 wt% Ni were mechanically alloyed in Ar atmosphere by high-energy ball milling with a ratio of milling steel balls: powders mixtures of 8:1 and rotation speed of 400 rpm for 10 and 20 h. The effect of mechanical alloying on the sintering response of composite compacts was investigated. Also, the sintered contacts were characterized from the point of view of physical, microstructural, mechanical, and functional properties. The nanostructured electrical contacts presented very good sinterability and homogeneous structures with a maximum compactity degree of about 89%. The best W-Cu-Ni compositions with relative density of about 80%, chopping currents lower than 5 A, copper content lower than 40% as W-20Cu-1Ni (10 h of mechanical alloying and 20 h of mechanical alloying) and W-30%Cu-Ni (10 h of mechanical alloying) were selected to be used in vacuum contactors.